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When Jeremiah had finished speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, with which the LORD their God had sent him to them—that is, all the words written above—
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then Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the proud men said to Jeremiah, “You are speaking falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to live there as foreigners.’
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But Baruch son of Neriah is stirring you up against us, in order to hand us over into the hand of the Chaldeans, so that they may put us to death and carry us away captive to Babylon.”
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So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah.
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Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers gathered all the remnant of Judah, all those who had returned from all the nations to which they had been scattered, to dwell in the land of Judah,
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men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan; also the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah.
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Then they went to the land of Egypt, for they would not obey the voice of the LORD. And they came to Tahpanhes.
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Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying:
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“Take large stones in your hand and hide them in the clay in the entrance of Pharaoh’s palace at Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah,
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and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and he shall set his throne upon these stones that I have hidden, and he shall spread his royal canopy over them.
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When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt:
Those destined for death, to death;
those destined for captivity, to captivity;
and those destined for the sword, to the sword.
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He shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt and burn them or carry them away captive. He shall cleanse the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his garment of vermin, and then he shall depart from there unharmed.
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He shall break the pillars of Beth-shemesh that are in Egypt, and he shall burn the temples of the gods of Egypt with fire.’”
🔥🏺Summary of Jeremiah 43 – Open Rebellion and a Prophecy of Egypt’s Destruction
Jeremiah 43 shows Judah’s open rejection of the word of the Lord. After the clear warning in Jeremiah 42 not to go to Egypt, Johanan son of Kareah and the leaders accused Jeremiah of lying and still took the whole people—including Jeremiah and Baruch—away to Egypt. In Tahpanhes, the Lord spoke again: Egypt would not be a safe place, because Nebuchadnezzar would come and conquer it. Flight to Egypt would bring the same ruin, because there is no safe place outside the will of God.
📌 1. Jeremiah Accused of Lying (verses 1–3)
“You are speaking lies! The LORD our God did not send you…”
➡️ Johanan, Azariah, and all the people rejected the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.
➡️ They accused Jeremiah of being influenced by Baruch son of Neriah in order to hand them over to Babylon.
🎯 A hardened heart will reject the truth, even accusing the messenger of the LORD as an enemy.
📌 2. The Flight to Egypt Also Takes Jeremiah (verses 4–7)
“They did not listen to the voice of the LORD… they came to Tahpanhes.”
➡️ All the remaining people of Judah—men, women, children, and officials—were taken to Egypt by force by Johanan.
➡️ Even Jeremiah and Baruch could not avoid it; they too were taken into exile.
🎯 Rejecting God can drag an entire community, even a prophet, into shared suffering.
📌 3. A Prophecy of Babylon’s Destruction of Egypt (verses 8–13)
“Nebuchadnezzar… will set his throne over these stones…”
➡️ In the city of Tahpanhes, the LORD told Jeremiah to bury stones in the ground in front of the palace of Egypt.
➡️ The prophecy: the king of Babylon will set up his throne over those stones — a sign that Egypt too will fall.
➡️ He will burn the temples of Egypt’s idols and destroy the land that was thought to be safe.
🎯 There is no safe place outside the will of God — even mighty Egypt will submit.
📖 Main Teaching
- Rejecting the word of the LORD = rejecting the LORD’s protection
- Accusing a prophet of lying is a sign of severe spiritual blindness
- God can use a pagan nation (Babylon) to judge and set His people right
- Running from the will of God never succeeds; it only brings new suffering
- God is not silent — wherever His people are, He still speaks
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 2 Timothy 4:3–4
“People will turn their ears away from the truth and open them to myths.”
➡️ Like the people of Judah, they only want to hear what they like.
📖 Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem… how often I longed to gather you… but you were not willing!”
➡️ A picture of Jesus’ heart toward a people who reject the word of His love.
📖 Hebrews 12:25
“Do not refuse Him who is speaking.”
➡️ Rejection of the Lord always brings serious consequences.
📖 Luke 6:46
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?”
➡️ The people of Judah claimed to believe, but did not want to obey.
🕊️ “You are speaking lies!” – Jeremiah 43:2
🕊️ “They did not listen to the voice of the LORD…” – Jeremiah 43:4
🕊️ “Nebuchadnezzar will set up his throne…” – Jeremiah 43:10
🕊️ “He will burn the temples of their gods…” – Jeremiah 43:13
